DALTON drew a blank as they fell to a 20-0 home defeat at the hands of Lindley Swifts.

Lindley were swifter all round as they defended their line with determination and they were also smarter in attack.

Dalton, who defended well at times, were never a real threat to their opponents’ line, where finding a way through was almost impossible.

Dalton are a relatively young side, with no old-stagers up front to lead them. They lack size and power, with the only experienced campaginer being Stu Tippett – a non-stop worker at the back of defence. While Ryan Baines and Jack Flynn have been on the scene for some time they are still young lads.

The hosts took the game to the visitors as Baines and Tom Sharpe linked to take play into Swifts’ territory, but the attack broke down when Sharpe’s pass to Matt Bamber was adjudged forward.

Lindley’s first raid came to a halt when Baines pulled off a fine tackle on his opposite number James Usher, who had broken in midfield. From the play the ball, play moved from left to right, only for the final pass to go to ground.

The Swifts were putting the ball to good use as Usher again broke free. Play moved left, only for Jacob Craven to knock on.

Soon after, when second row forward Neil Sykes headed for the line, four defenders were required to halt his progress.

A counter-attack saw Ryan Johnston put in a dangerous kick to the corner, where winger Gavin Langfield knocked on. Dalton took the scrum and applied pressure, only to run out of tackles.

Lindley then took play downfield and it took three defenders to haul down centre Matt Johnson. However, the attack paid off as neat play saw winger Langfield force his way over to give them a 4-0 lead.

The visitors failed to keep up the momentum, losing the ball on the first tackle from a scrum after the home side were penalised for holding down.

Tippett then slid into touch when trying to gather a neat kick to the corner. However Johnson knocked-on close to the home line.

Baines made a half-break for Dalton, but before he got into his stride the tackle from prop Dave Valentine brought him down.

Johnson then tried to apply pressure by stabbing the ball through the cover, but the kick was too hard and went dead.

The second half saw Lindley on the attack first as centre Craven raced clear, but Baines was back to avert further danger with a fine tackle.

Fellow centre Johnson then looked like going over, but a crunching tackle from Tippett sent him crashing to the ground.

Dalton came more into the game as they raided through Johnston, Baines, Nathan Park and Ashley Allonby, but as the latter tried to reach the line, the cover got back.

It was the visitors who were to put points on the board 52 minutes into the action when hooker Sam McClusky burrowed his way under the cover. Usher added the goal and, though only 10-0 down, the home side had a mountain to climb.

Further pressure from the Yorkshire side came to a halt when, after good play, Matt Johnson lost possession.

Johnston then threatened with a fine break after drawing full-back Josh Dixon, but his intended pass to Sharpe was not the best and the ball went to ground.

When Bamber was penalised for a high tackle on Langfield it proved costly when, on the last tackle, the ball was in the hands of Langfield and he crossed the line for 14-0.

Further points were denied as, within three minutes, McLusky made a neat break heading to the line only to fall to a great tackle from Tippett.

But there was no stopping Usher, who supported a fine break from Gordon to race over. Usher converted to close the scoring.